San Onofre  Sunbathers who frequent one of the northernmost beaches in San Diego County believe that they’re succeeding, at least for now, in the fight for what they say is their right to be naked on the sand.

The nonprofit Naturist Action Committee is advocating for nudists who have been cited by the California Department of Parks and Recreation for being naked at Trail Six of San Onofre State Beach, long a haven for those who prefer to go sans swimsuit.

“There’s a certain sector of the population that believes you just really don’t need sand in your bathing suit to have fun at the beach,” said Bob Morton, the committee’s executive director.

Citations by Parks and Recreation rangers have recently been stepped up because the nudity led to sexual crimes, said San Onofre Park Superintendent Rich Haydon.

The department allowed several months for word to get out about the enforcement of clothing, Haydon said. Rangers then began citing violators in March. Since then, 12 to 14 citations have been issued for nudity, he said.

The naturist committee, however, claimed a minor victory this month when the District Attorney’s Office dismissed several citations.

“Our job is to look at serious and violent crimes, and we have to prioritize in a way that is responsible,” said Summer Stephan, chief of the office’s North County branch. “The charges that we’re looking at did not come with any other offense. ... If there was anything else, it’s likely that we would try to change.”

Though the state Parks and Recreation website says nudity is a misdemeanor, Stephan said her office recommends that nudity, which is not accompanied by any other crime, be cited as just an infraction. Those offenses don’t go before prosecutors.

Haydon said Parks and Recreation officials met with the District Attorney’s Office, and rangers will continue to issue citations for nudity. He said his department requested from the District Attorney permission in writing to cite nudists with infractions rather than misdemeanor charges, but as of last week had not yet received such permission.

“The law is the law,” Haydon said. “Crimes are occurring, and we’re addressing the crimes. If you don’t like the law, see if enough Californians agree with you and change it.”

Attorney Allen Baylis, a board member of the Naturist Action Committee and president of Friends of San Onofre Beach, has represented eight nudists cited at the state beach. Six cases were dismissed Jan. 14 and two in December. The attorney said he would not want charges reduced from the misdemeanor level, because his clients should have the right to press their cases before a jury of their peers.

Nudism has never officially been legal at state beaches, but it had been tolerated at Trail Six. The state Parks and Recreation policy was to leave the unclad beachgoers alone unless the public complained.

A plan to stop that policy near the end of summer 2008 was temporarily blocked by an Orange County Superior Court judge, who agreed with the naturist committee’s assertion that a public hearing was necessary to change the policy.

An appeals court reversed the decision, leaving nudists to fight their battle citation by citation.

“What we have accomplished at this point is to get our tickets dismissed and, in fact, nothing more than that,” said Oceanside resident Greg Young, who was cited along with his wife, Barbara, in September.

The state Parks and Recreation division that oversees Black’s Beach in San Diego, which has traditionally been clothing optional, still observes the more tolerant policy because there have not been criminal complaints, said Black’s superintendent Brian Ketterer. It is not officially a nude beach, and it is clear on the Parks and Recreation website that nudity is not allowed.

“I wouldn’t have even been down there risking the ticket if I didn’t believe it was important to fight for the cause,” Young said. “Part of this was being prepared and being ready to go on the stand.”

Both sides argue that the issue is about the public having the ability to comfortably go to state beaches.

“We want people to come down and enjoy their state parks and their state beaches and not fear seeing something or be exposed to something,” said Haydon, the park superintendent.

The naturist committee says nudists are asking to use a small strip of sand as it’s been used for decades.

“Maybe it’s not for everybody,” said Morton, the naturist group’s executive director. “Maybe running your dog off leash is not for everybody, but there are places for that. There are places for lots of different things. Nobody is suggesting that everybody be naked.”